Good Day Branch Secretaries,
As many of you will be aware the Nautical Institute AGM is being held outside of the UK this year for the first time and the UAE branch is honoured to be the branch chosen. The event will be held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dubai and it is appropriate, we feel, that Dubai is the location as this was the site of the first branch to be established outside of the UK and it is the most international and cosmopolitan of cities. The UAE Branch look forward to welcoming many old and new friends to the event from 09 to 11 May 2006.
We request that you bring this e-mail to the attention of your membership to allow those who are interested in attending to make hotel and travel reservations as soon as possible. It is testament to the appeal of Dubai as a venue that hotel reservations can get a little tight if booking is left too late so we advise that hotel accommodation is booked as soon as possible.
The event will be held over three days, Day one will be a «DP for desk drivers course» held at the N.I. approved training centre in Dubai on 09 May from 0900 to 1800. There will be a welcome cocktail reception for all delegates and spouses that evening in the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
The 10th May will be the first day of the combined conference/AGM and will feature speakers representing shipowners, shipmanagers, shipbrokers, agents, lawyers, consultants, class, marine environmental contractors, pilots, oil and gas companies, P & I club, pilots, harbour authority etc. — all with different points of view and with valid points to make regarding several issues on ISM and ISPS which concern us all. The AGM will be on the afternoon of this day and is planned to incorporate a video link with at least one other branch and at least one ship at sea. There will be a gala dinner that night for all delegates and spouses.
The 11th May will see more speakers arguing their case and after lunch we shall have a mock arbitration on a scenario based on the issues which the various industry viewpoints had been given over the preceding day and a half. The mock arbitration will also feature Dr. Phil Anderson, outgoing President as the expert witness.
The following day, 12th is the weekend in Dubai so a good excuse to stay and enjoy another day.
The venue has been set as the Crown Plaza Hotel. It is a centrally located 5 star hotel only 15 minutes from the airport and we have a full featured auditorium to use with all lighting and sound facilities. The telephone number is +9714 3311111, e-mail at agmdubai2006@yahoo.com — this will go to Kevin Leach Smith, our branch secretary who will return your e-mail with a booking form attachment. The conference concession rate is AED 650++ per night. For a single standard, AED 950++ per night for an executive single. Doubles are AED 50 per night more. (1 US$ = AED 3.676 or 1 GBP = AED 6.5) so it is around US$ 175 or GBP 100 per night up to US$ 272 per night, GBP 153 . The ++ is 10% municipality, 10% service. Not unlike the UK VAT rate, come to think of it. N.B. Hotel accommodation is somewhat limited at certain times of the year and reservations are recommended as soon as possible.
Visas for Dubai are no problem for the vast majority of people and can generally be collected on arrival. The city is very popular as a tourist destination and is becoming a bit of a shopping heaven as well as catering well for families.
We are very keen to hear from branches who would have speakers, or where there are companies who would like to be featured as sponsors of e.g. the cocktail reception, the dinner, lunches or coffee breaks. We have the facility to display banner advertising and will also be accepting shell stands and stalls. We are also hoping to hear from those branches who would like to video link for the AGM portion. For your guidance this is planned to be from 1530 to 1730 Dubai time, (UTC +4).
Costs have been kept very reasonable. The DP course is US$ 150. The two day AGM/ Conference is US$ 250 inclusive of coffees and lunches. Attendance at the mock arbitration only will be US$ 100.
It should be a fun and worthwhile event. We look forward to seeing you there and if there are any queries please do not hesitate to contact us. We have a change in the office holders within the branch so please note that as from now the Branch Secretary will be Kevin Leach-Smith who can be contacted on kevin.leachsmith@aramco.com
Best rgds

Capt. Duncan McKelvie, FNI
Branch Chairman Nautical Institute,
UAE Branch
Tel. +9714 3242789, Fax +9714 3242678 Web. www.nautinst-uae.com